1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to controlling process equipment. More specifically, the invention relates to use of handheld controllers having graphical representations of process equipment to control process equipment by manipulating the graphical representations.
2. Background
Complex chemical or manufacturing processes require oversight by people capable of assessing the functioning of the processes. Typically this oversight is provided by one or more engineers, or senior operators, familiar with the process being performed. These complex processes are the result of a number of smaller processes whose output in combination produces the desired product.
For example, a complex chemical process may be broken down into smaller actions, or operations. These operations may be standardized and referred to as unit operations. Typical unit operations include, but are not limited to, mixing, separating, reacting, and heat exchange. Each unit operation has process parameters that require control and monitoring.
Each unit operation may be further broken down into standard elements of the unit operation. These elements include, but are not limited to, pipes entering the unit operation, pipes exiting the unit operation, and pumps. These elements each have process parameters that require control and monitoring.
As an example, a single pump in a chemical plant, which may have over 50 pumps, will be monitored for at least: input pressure, output pressure, and some measure of work performed by the pump, usually revolutions per minute (RPM). In fact, the pump may be monitored for six or more parameters.
For context, it is easily possible for a simple plant to require four unit operations. This plant may require many dozens of elements to perform those four unit operations. On average, each element may require monitoring and control of up to approximately six parameters. In this situation, is it easily possible for this simple plant to require monitoring and control of hundreds of parameters.
Collecting, storing, collating, and displaying all this data in a comprehensible manner is a monumental task. Typically process plants devote a whole room to gathering and displaying this data. The room usually contains a very large display board mapping out the entire plant along with parameter data from each of the elements used to perform the unit operations. While convenient, this control room removes the engineer or senior operator from the plant. This removal makes it difficult for an engineer outside the control room to check the functioning of the equipment in operation. An Engineer in the control room can not work on the equipment, and an engineer near some equipment can not determine the condition of the operation.
A convenient, portable and flexible method for allowing an engineer in a plant, away from the control room to access the parameter data of equipment in the plant without having to enter the room would enhance the engineer's ability to monitor the condition of the plant. This method and apparatus should be able to give the engineer detailed information about any part of the plant, and enable the engineer to see at a glance if the entire plant is operating within expectations.